Sleep Apnea and Exercise

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Daily Exercise Helps Sleep Apnea Patients

Although sleep apnea seems like a disease that affects patients at night time, its negative effects seep into the rest of your day, ultimately impacting your work, social life, and mood. While many treatments for sleep apnea exists, fitness is a solution that is free and available to every patient. Explore the ways that a daily exercise habit can eliminate many of the symptoms of sleep apnea while improving life for patients who suffer from it.

Fitness and its Benefits for Sleep Apnea Patients

A study published in Brazil showed a strong connection between regular exercise and major improvements for sleep apnea patients. After evaluating dozens of patients with sleep apnea, numerous benefits were found among those who engaged in aerobic exercise on a daily basis. These range from controlling particular symptoms to curbing obesity, which is a common problem among sleep apnea sufferers. Here are five of the most notable advantages discussed in this study:

1. 1. Increased Muscle Tone in the Upper Airway
2. 2. Increases in Slow Wave Sleep
3. 3. Reduced Daytime Sleepiness
4. 4. Reduced Severity of OSA Symptoms
5. 5. Reduced Fluid-Accumulation in the Neck

What is the Key Takeaway?

The most important fact to take-away from this sleep apnea study is that aerobic exercise plays an active role in improving symptoms. From dulling the severity of symptoms to reducing tangible problems like daytime fatigue, sleep apnea is much easier to manage when accompanied by a fitness plan.

How to Get Started – Implementing Daily Exercise Into Your Routine

In addition to decreasing obesity, regular exercise is an excellent way to control your sleep apnea. If you’ve never had a workout routine in your life, it can be intimidating to figure out the best place to start. Fortunately, there are many ways to make fitness a regular part of your life, and many of them will cost you nothing.

Ideas for Getting Exercise for Free

• Go for regular walks around your neighborhood at increasing distances
• Try some of the hiking trails in your area
• Watch a video online on how to do effective workouts
• Find a friend to workout or walk with and hold each other accountable
• Pick a sport to participate in and train for regularly

Ways to Get Exercise at a Low Cost

• Hire a coach or personal trainer to help you workout regularly
• Join a local gym and request instructions from trainers there
• Purchase fitness equipment for your home and commit to using it
• Sign up for a yoga, martial arts, or a CrossFit class

Live a Fit, Active Lifestyle to Overcome Your Sleep Apnea

Whether you do it for the extra energy, to lose weight, or for any number of other reasons, leading an active life is the best way you can fight sleep apnea. No matter the way you get your exercise in, its effects will play a major role in minimizing your sleep apnea symptoms. When you’re ready for life-changing sleep apnea treatment, don’t hesitate to contact our West Coast Sleep Solutions office in Vista, CA. We can help restore your ability to sleep.

 

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does sleep and exercise help the body?

For patients who suffer from sleep apnea, exercise can be a beneficial way to lose weight and relieve sleep problems. Exercise helps with anxiety, depression, and eases stress⎼all problems that can interfere with getting a good night’s sleep.

In addition, exercise aids proper sleep by reducing a day’s worth of stress and tiring you out. Early morning and afternoon heart rate activities also help reset the sleep wake cycle by slightly raising body temperature then allowing it to drop and trigger sleepiness a few hours later.

Are there any effective exercises for sleep apnea?

Yes! There are six at-home exercises that just about anyone with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can benefit from. The goal of each breathing exercise for sleep apnea is to clear, open, and strengthen your airway muscles.

• Mouth and throat exercises: These work the throat, tongue, soft palate, and jaw, and are widely regarded as the most effective type of sleep apnea exercises.
• Neck exercises: The back and lower part of the throat, the larynx, vocal cords, epiglottis, trachea, and esophagus can all become compromised with a thick neck.
• Soft palate exercise: You can perform soft palate exercises to strengthen and ultimately improve your sleeping problems.
• Jaw exercise: If your jaw is tight, this helps to release the tension in your jaw by relieving the pressure on your tongue and throat.
• Singing exercises: This is one of the best ways to strengthen your throat muscles so they don’t collapse or vibrate during sleep.
• Yoga exercises: Breathing exercises with yoga practice improves your metabolism, boosts energy levels, and helps your body to release toxins.